Matt Murray's actions this year point to possible extension in Toronto

With the post-season right around the corner and some concerns regarding Joseph Woll's recent play, oft-injured Matt Murray is nearing a return as the Maple Leafs have assigned the goaltender to the Marlies on a conditioning loan.

The 2-time Stanley Cup winning goaltender has been sidelined since October after undergoing bilateral hip surgery and then subsequently placed on the long-term injured reserve to begin the 2023-24 season. Murray hasn't suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs since the 2nd of April of last year when he was forced out of the game after a collision with Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond.

Murray has been skating in full equipment over the last month and if all goes well with his conditioning stint down in the minors, he could very well be on the playoff roster which would be a huge step in his recovery.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old netminder has dealt with a myriad of injuries throughout his career, which included 3 just in the 2022-23 season alone, one of which was an adductor injury during the season opener. He wound up missing a month of action but returned to form almost immediately as he posted a 9-2-2 record in 13 games to go along with a .925 SV% and a 2.30 GAA. He then tweaked his ankle in mid-January before making a return in March, but he was never the same. He posted a .886 SV% in 6 games while allowing 22 goals before his third and final injury took him out for the rest of the season.


It's been a tough couple of seasons for the former Pittsburgh Penguin as he dealt with more than just a handful of injuries. He was a constant candidate to be bought out or traded and those closest to him believe that the passing of his late father in 2018 took a toll on him and that, understandably, it took him a long time to work through it all.

From 2015-16 to 2017-18, Murray was 68-28-8 with a 2.58 GAA and a .917 SV% in 111 regular season games. He shined bright in the post-season as he ultimately backstopped the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups after taking over from Marc-Andre Fleury. He posted a 22 and 9 record to go along with a scintillating .928 SV% and a 1.97 GAA in 2016 and 2017.

Since then 2018-19, Murray has gone 78-58-16 with a 2.94 GAA and a .906 SV% during the regular season with Pittsburgh, Ottawa, and Toronto. He was swept in the first round of the 2019 playoffs with a 3.02 GAA and then was surprisingly ousted by the Montreal Canadiens in the playoff bubble in 3 games the following year.

He was moved to Ottawa shortly after for a prospect and a second round pick with the hope was that a change of scenery would help but things only got worse as he went 15-25-3 in just 47 games with a .899 SV% and a 3.23 GAA His tenure also included being placed on waivers, demoted to the minors after clearing waivers, and a season-ending injury before being traded. He initially vetoed a deal to Buffalo before accepting a trade to Toronto.

Murray will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and based on his track record and injury history, it's tough to envision that he will be a top priority for goaltending-starved clubs on the 1st of July or even within the first week of the free agent frenzy.

Nevertheless, this is his time to potentially put away some of those fears but with Samsonov thrusted as the starting netminder, Joseph Woll currently the backup, and the regular season ending next week, he won't have much time to showcase what he can do with his newfound health. However, just being healthy and on the roster is a big step in the right direction.

More importantly, he feels a lot better and has worked on his mental game just as much as the physical. He believed that he had to go back to the basics and what made him so successful to start his career; essentially breaking out of his own default settings.

The incessant amount of injuries obviously took a toll on him and he felt like his body was not a "connected unit" even before his bilateral hip surgery this year. While trying to figure it all out, Murray has maintained his relationships with his teammates and has been a great cheerleader, for a lack of a better term. He's made sure not to get lost during his time away from the ice, and has made it a point to attend meetings, greet the team after wins, and perhaps the most interesting detail - his stall in the Leafs' locker room was never emptied, which is something that his teammates have taken full notice of.


The way this has all unfolded this season really makes you wonder if the Leafs and Murray might already have a handshake deal in place where he plans to sign a 1-year deal around the league minimum. Pure speculation of course, but it does also seem like somewhat of a realistic scenario.

We're all rooting for Murray to get his career back on track because when he is on his game, he is most definitely a game-changer. Whether it's the two Stanley Cups to start out his career or even the brief 13-game stint with the Maple Leafs mid-season last year, the tools are there, he just needs to be able to stay healthy and try to wash away the negativity.

Source: The Athletic, Joshua Kloke
Behind Matt Murray's ongoing quest to rebuild his game and overcome personal tragedy